Neuronal circuits and behavior of Hydra in the context of the metaorganism

How do animal behavior, the evolution of the nervous system, and the microbiota intertwine? By using Hydra as a model system, I can demonstrate that all three are connected, forming an omnipresent link in the animal kingdom. These discoveries shed a new perspective on the evolution of the metaorganism and the nervous system.

In Hydra, we have observed a reciprocal relationship between behavior and microbiota. On one hand, the spontaneous body wall contractions in Hydra control the microbiota composition by facilitating the transportation of compounds to and from the surface. A reduction in contraction frequency is associated with a shift in the microbiota composition. On the other hand, Hydra's eating behavior reveals a complex neuronal circuit consisting of multiple neuronal populations that integrate microbial metabolites. Both findings highlight how microbes can influence neuronal circuits, particularly in the context of eating behavior, in a community-dependent manner and how behavior can impact microbiota composition.

Furthermore, internal states such as satiety, regulated by distinct neuronal populations (N3 and N4), impact a variety of behavioral patterns. The functions of these two neuronal populations (N3 and N4) exhibit parallels to those of the enteric and central nervous systems. These findings underscore the intricacy of seemingly simple nervous systems, offering a deeper understanding of the evolution of the nervous system.

This research enriches our understanding of neuro-microbe interactions and the evolutionary processes shaping the nervous system. Overall, all these results provide a new basis for further investigations regarding the interaction between the nervous system and microbes in the light of evolution.

 

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